'Hospitals can't turn away patients & Don't keep critically ill patients at home' ; Deputy Health Chief

COLOMBO (News 1st); Hospital cannot turn away any patient for any reason, stressed Sri Lanka’s Deputy Director-General of Public Health Services Dr. Hemantha Herath on Saturday (21).

"People are at times worried if they would not be allowed to enter the hospital to seek treatment. If a person is critically ill he/she must be taken to the nearest hospital immediately," he stressed adding hospitals are obliged to admit the patient.

Hospital Directors were informed by the Director-General of Health Services to ensure necessary plans are in place to protect the patients and hospital staff, he said.

"Every patient has a right to seek treatment even that patient has tested positive for COVID-19 or seeking treatment for an injury. The health ministry has taken every measure to ensure that right is not violated," said Dr. Hemantha Herath.

He further urged the public to contact the Health Ministry Hotline (1999) to make any complaint about delays in the health service.

Sri Lanka confirmed 44 COVID-19 deaths on Friday (21) the highest number confirmed in a single day since the pandemic began in the country, and most of these deaths had taken place home while some patients died en route to the hospital.

Nurses Trade Union Leader Saman Ratnapriya told reporters that patients dying at home from COVID-19 is not a good sign, adding that the government must pay attention to rising patient numbers.